Police make 51 arrests, recover 215 stolen vehicles in investigation into organized GTA crime ring
Police forces in the Greater Toronto Area have arrested 51 people and recovered more than 215 stolen vehicles, worth approximately $17 million, after a months-long investigation into an organized vehicle crime ring.
More than 150 charges were laid combined.
Officers also recovered 15 handguns, an assault rifle, ammunition, a kilogram of cocaine, and "various reprogramming devices” over the course of the investigation, dubbed ‘Project Touchdown,’ which launched in May of this year.
“This project focused on organized criminal groups responsible for the increasing number of car theft across the Greater Toronto Area,” York Regional Police (YRP) Chief Jim Macsween told reporters Wednesday.
Macsween said that, in York Region alone, vehicle thefts have gone up more than 44 per cent over the last year, and the force is recovering six stolen vehicles a day on average.
According to investigators, there are “multiple groups” operating “provincially and internationally” from a home base in the GTA who have been stealing and trafficking vehicles. In many cases, officers said, the stolen cars were shipped to different continents – primarily, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
A majority of the vehicles are being stolen using a strategy in which the suspects manage to reprogram key fobs, investigators allege. A video uploaded by York Regional Police to YouTube demonstrates one of the ways in which thieves can manipulate fobs – they call it a “relay theft.”
In a relay theft, one person usually stands by the targeted vehicle, while the other stands near the house with a device that can pick up a signal from the key fob.
“Wireless key fobs can be very easily manipulated,” police said. To prevent this from happening, officers suggest investing in a faraday box, a device that blocks external signals in which key fobs can be placed.
The groups are not only dealing in vehicle thefts, Macsween said, but also in the trafficking of illegal guns and narcotics.
Of the sixteen guns recovered, Macsween said a majority have been traced back to the United States. The force is in the process of “tracing the origins” of all the weapons.
HOW TO AVOID CAR THEFT: POLICE
In an effort to reduce the number of thefts in the Greater Toronto Area, police offered some tips to residents.
First, they recommend parking your vehicle in a locked garage, if possible.
Purchasing a steering wheel lock and a faraday box are also advisable, they said – both of which can be bought online.
If possible, the force also recommends investing in a quality video surveillance system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Economists say temporary tax cut, relief cheques play into rosier growth picture
The federal government's 'meaty' move to pause federal sales tax on a long list of items and send cheques to millions of Canadians this spring could factor into an improving outlook for growth in 2025, economists say.
NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile
NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war.
Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Decision expected today in trial for Convoy protester Pat King
A judge is expected to issue a decision this morning in the criminal case against one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa.
Bears find a buffet of battlefield rations at Alaska military base
Hungry bears broke into a storage room at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in this U.S. to feast on the military rations.
Sask. principal has sexual assault conviction overturned in light of 'butt-grabbing game'
A Saskatchewan principal convicted to six months behind bars for sexual assault has another chance to prove he’s the victim of a middle-school prank that escalated out of control.
Alliston, Ont., students invited to showcase goalie robot at world's largest tech trade show
A group of high school students from Alliston, Ont., have garnered international attention after being invited to showcase their work on a global stage.
More than 70K Murphy beds recalled across Canada, U.S. over tipping concerns
A popular series of Murphy beds that had been sold online is under a recall in Canada and the U.S. after several reported instances of the furniture detaching from walls.
Britain forked out US$91 million for King Charles' coronation in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis
The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla held in May last year cost British taxpayers £72 million (US$91 million), an amount some have labeled excessive.